ANCHORAGE — The feud between Alaska Congressman Don Young and prominent historian Douglas Brinkley that started at a House committee hearing last Friday has continued, with Brinkley calling Young a bully and a “low-grade Joseph McCarthy.”
Young, for his part, maintains that Brinkley is just a publicity hound who is trying to boost sales for his books.
Video of the nasty exchange between Brinkley and Young during last Friday’s committee hearing over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge went viral on the Internet. It was featured Tuesday on NBC’s “Nightly News” broadcast, with anchor Brian Williams dubbing it “moment of the week on Capitol Hill. ... It goes very haywire very quickly.”
The exchange was stunning, with a furious Young saying Brinkley’s testimony was “garbage” and that the Rice University professor needed to “just be quiet.” Brinkley told Young “I pay your salary!” and mocked the congressman’s education.
A staffer sitting behind Young fiddling with her phone bolted up straight in wide-eyed astonishment at the verbal smack-down.
Brinkley did not respond to an interview request from the Daily News this week. But he’s continued to poke Young in Lower 48 media. He told a television station in Houston, where Rice is located, that his students applauded when he walked into class.
“I have received now hundreds and hundreds of emails from people all over, I’ve not received one negative one,” he said. “I’ve had my entire Rice University and including Texas conservatives cheering me on for standing up to his bullying tactics.”
A Minneapolis online news site quoted Brinkley this week calling Young a “menacing blowhard” and a “low-grade Joseph McCarthy,” referring to the infamous 1950s politician who bullied congressional witnesses and claimed widespread communist subversion of American public life.
Young turned down an interview request from the Daily News this week, but his spokesman said the blowup at last Friday’s hearing was a publicity ploy by Brinkley.
“People will want to make this into more than what it really is: an attempt by an author to create a stir and sell books,” said Young spokesman Luke Miller.
The acrimony began after Brinkley, who published a book earlier this year about the early conservation movement in Alaska, testified to the House Natural Resources Committee that Congress should urge the president to make the ANWR coastal plain a national monument. Brinkley and others hope monument status would prevent oil drilling. Young maintains that monument status for ANWR would violate the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
Young, a Republican, has fought for four decades to open the area to drilling. He told Brinkley his testimony was “garbage” and mistakenly called him “Dr. Rice.” That prompted Brinkley to interrupt with a correction.
“It’s Dr. Brinkley; Rice is a university. I know you went to Yuba College and couldn’t graduate,” Brinkley said.
Young, who actually did earn his associate degree at Yuba Community College, according to his congressional biography, and then later obtained a bachelor’s degree from Chico State, was apoplectic at the well-known historian.
“I’ll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet. You be quiet!” Young said.
Brinkley wasn’t interested in being told by Young to shut up. “You don’t own me. I pay your salary,” Brinkley said.
The two also sparred over Young coming and going from the hearing. Young had come into the hearing late and said he was “really [filtered word]” that Brinkley mentioned his absence, explaining he had been voting. When Young later left the hearing before it was over, Brinkley told the committee Young “doesn’t stay, blows smoke and then leaves.”
Young spokesman Miller said this week that Brinkley was given his full time to testify and then repeatedly interrupted and was disrespectful. Miller said that Young has received positive feedback following the blowup with Brinkley.
“While reaction from the Lower 48 has been mixed, much of the feedback our office is receiving from Alaskans has been supportive of Congressman Young. In fact, many have simply been saying ‘Go get ‘em Don,’” he said.
Comments (23)
Add commentI applaud Brinkley
Whether you agree with his position on ANWR or not, Brinkley demonstrated real courage standing up to Young's bullying. These congressmen need to be reminded who they work for.
But I would take exception to Brinkley's statement about Young that "doesn’t stay, blows smoke and then leaves.” He rarely even shows up. Don Young owns the dubious honor of having the worst attendance record in congress, missing 16% of the votes. Ted Stevens, by contrast, missed less than 3%.
Try missing work 16% of the time and see how long you remain employed. And yet this clown keeps getting reelected. For those of you who voted for him, please explain why you tolerate that behavior from your employee.
times come
Sorry Don times come for all of you to go. While I've supported you in the past, the blatant corruption running rampant in DC needs to be stopped regardless of political party
Young a “menacing blowhard”.
Young a “menacing blowhard”. historian Douglas Brinkley called Don Young on the carpet! Good job standing your ground...I am Indigenous Alaskan that wants to protect our Natural Resources, Wild Life and Minerals...if nothing else for Alaskans First. Don Young is selling you out for greed and power.
Don Young is an Ass! I know him for what he is.
How many heard...
what Young had to say? So many are caught up in the confrontation that the context was obscured. That was Brinkley's desired effect. The professor went in looking for a fight and knew he could rile Young. So if you didn't get past the whizzing match, Young explained that out of 19 million acres, they are trying to open up less than 3,000 acres that is a mere 74 miles from the pipeline. Bash Young all you want, but, this waste land is as desolate as it is vast. Energy, economy and jobs are just sitting there as pompous know-it-alls down south trying to make a name for themselves obstruct and obfuscate with snide rhetoric and condescension. Both men are blowhards. But one is right. Alaska and America needs these resources unlocked.
Yelling is never the answer
I watched the exchange on YouTube and all I can say is that Mr. Young lost control. He lost his right to be heard when he became so angry that he began to stutter and babble and talk to the man testifying like he was a child.
I simply cannot believe that there were many "positive" comments from Alaskans. I think most, like me, were embarrassed that he represents us in such an unprofessional manner.
I'm proud...
that our duly elected Representative called the testimony of a CHILDISH granola cruncher what it was... Garbage. "Dr. Rice" instigated the mutually slobbering melée with his remarks during his testimony. I may not be 'many', but my remarks on Rep. Young's dissertation are definitely positive. So chalk up one.
Tell the feds to "back off"
The land grabs by the federal government have reached an all time high, with no sign of slowing down! In the long run it will not be good for anyone, the nation, the states or the people. Resources need to be managed and used wisely, not locked away out of reach. The nation made a promise to Ted, now we need to keep that promise!
Chairman was a punk should of smacked both of them down
Doc Hastings - the chair of House resources should have told them both to straighten up. Instead he snivelingly takes Don's side at the start. IMO he is the biggest punk in the room. No wonder congress approval ratings are at a rock bottom 10% - it's nothing but a poser circus while the country slips off a cliff.
Good observation Good.
BUT, Rep. Young had the floor. College professors are used to being in charge of the conversation. I'll give him a by on that. But he was a guest and his professionalism was compromised before Young had the floor. The chairman did act decisively in a testimonial gone debate. But, he acted in favor of the floor.
OK Young defenders
...so how do you feel about your boy missing more votes than anyone else in congress?
Almost every other congressperson who's a remote runnerup to Young has missed votes due to understandable reasons like serious illnesses (or being shot in the head).
Even if you agree with Young's position on Alaska resources, how can you tolerate him skipping out of work so often...and still getting paid for it? Does he get a pass on accountability in your book?
Even the professor...
Agreed ("I know that...") that Young had been on the the floor for a vote. Now he has been derided for DOING his job at the expense of being late to a committee hearing. How do you feel about the fact that someone elses boys were present and even presiding in a hearing while a vote was on the floor? He was working THAT day, wasn't he?
Judging...
a situation with sound bytes being the source of information heard on a matter is indicative of the lazy apathy that has gotten us where we are today in this age. I've bein' berated by my parents numerous times for jumping in on the tail end of the conversation. Therefore what the world heard was a spat and missed the answer to a huge part of the problem of this nation's economy, security, energy and employment. We have answers that we are sitting on because a liberal media espouses sound bytes from leftist ejumacated legends in their own minds to lock up resources that we need. Reckon what carbon footprint "Dr. Rice" left to make that meeting?
skirkz - saying that the
skirkz - saying that the professor's professionalism had been compromised first is a matter of opinion and you are entitled to yours. While I don't agree with him I respect that he is there and expressing passion for what he believes. I believe that was the only thing that was demonstrated
A congressional committee chair and a long standing congressman have the burden of maintaining decorum - and I've seen this enforced on congressmen in the past when their language or behavior were less then Young's rudeness. Unfortunately it seems that congress is becoming a monkey house and past standards don't apply.
The professor was entirely correct when he told the immature spewing Young that he paid his salary. Something both Young and Hastings need to be kept aware of.
For friends and supporters of Don Young
Perhaps someone could persuade Don Young, who is now approaching eighty years of age and has been in Congress for thirty-eight years that it is time to retire and enjoy all the retirement benefits that Congress has given itself. There must be some other qualified and knowledgeable Republican out there that than can replace him to whom he can pass the baton.
The value of his seniority in Congress seems to have diminished over the past few years and if a new candidate was proven qualified, honest and willing to really be a "public servant," perhaps some of us registered non-partisan voters might even vote for such a change.
Mom and Dad...
Would have a heyday with your tail-end-of-the-conversation interjection, Good. Brinkly snidely remarked in his testimony, before Young had the floor, about the absence of the tardy Rep. How professional is that when you are trying to impress a congressional venue?
Professor Molson, the crotchety old Rep. is still there for lack of a suitable replacement... Says the electorate.
That one was weak, skirkz
Don has the worst attendance record in the entire pathetic congress, and you give him a complete pass on it. I guess accountability doesn't REALLY mean all that much to you.
Our part-time congressman has exactly ONE duty to perform: VOTE! And he fails in that duty more than anyone else. And is compensated very nicely for it.
No Lat...
I don't hand Young a complete pass. I'm commenting on a particular instance. Eschew obfuscation. The subject here is a sound byte clouding a real issue which, regardless of all other unrelated comment, is real and important AND really important. And one (if the only) that Don Young is on top of. At least he's working on something for me... and you.
liberal media...
It really is hard to understand how people can believe the media is liberally biased. Our media isn't liberal, it's inept (save for a few authors, columnists, and documentary producers). Most articles, sound bytes, or broadcasts only cover superficial, surface-level issues. Rarely do they uncover the foundations of issues that would actually help the public better understand the problems we cyclically endure. Perhaps we should put some of that blame on our own shoulders, though, as not many folks these days care to take the time to read an article more than a few paragraphs long, let alone an entire book. The connections between unregulated, unfettered capitalism; energy insecurity; natural capital bankruptcy; unemployment; and environmentalism are rarely made in the media. Nor are the connections between NAFTA and Central American immigration made in the media. Instead, we get shallow, surface-level coverage that doesn't inform anybody, but certainly inflames passions and opinions.
And the issue is...
Our congressional representatives' lack of accountability to the people. This little incident shined a light on the attitude our congressman holds toward us little people. Every other issue (ANWR included) pales in comparison.
Obfuscate away, brother.
Beautiful Country
I have a cabin on the Kongacut and spent a good chunk of time up there. Those who call it a wasteland have no sense of what beauty is. The scenery is breathtaking and the wildlife incredible. You wanna see wasteland go to Don's once-upon-a-time hometown of Ft Yukon to see how development can trash natural beauty.
And I have a fondness...
of the sticks from the Rockies across the Pecos up the caprock and El Llano Estacado down though the Permian Basin. Beautiful country. Funny how desert can grow on you. And you can still hunt nice muleys (deer) and pronghorn, etc. Ath throughout developed, productive oil patch.
What you cannot do
is see grizzlies, wolves or any number of other animals now extinct in those areas.
No Comparison
Nothing in lower 48 can hold a candle to the beauty of ANWAR. What lame comparison.